ALTERNATIVE THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS JOE MARSHALL’S “DIRTY SECRETS”

TUCSON, AZ, USA (SANEPR.com) July 28, 2008 -- Alternative Theatre Company is excited to produce DIRTY SECRETS, a gender-bent thriller by multiple AriZoni award-winning playwright Joe Marshall. Directed by Marshall, DIRTY SECRETS runs September 5 – 14 at the Temple of Music and Art Cabaret Theatre, 330 S. Scott Ave., in downtown Tucson.

Performances are held at 8:00 pm on Friday and Saturday, and at 2:00 pm on Sunday. Tickets cost $15 in advance, $20 at the door, and may be purchased online at www.AlternativeTheatreCo.org or by calling the Alternative Theatre Company box office at (520) 883-8246.

DIRTY SECRETS is a smart, gender-bent thriller that pokes fun at brainless gay stereotypes. Right from the opening scene you know you're watching a play about homosexuals. Instead of boring us with platitudes about the evils of pigeonholing people, the characters skewer stereotypes by spouting spout earnest lines like, "You don't act gay — you're masculine!" It’s all about Tom, who shows up at the home of Nick and Shane, a gay couple who live in Manhattan. Tom is depressed because he’s just discovered that his lover of eight years has had sex with another man. He doesn’t tell Nick that the other man is Shane. It turns out that Tom has come to torture Shane, to seek retribution for his messed up romance. It’s the ways in which Tom carries out his revenge -- first demanding sex with Shane, later seducing Nick -- that move the play along. He has a worthy opponent in the snaky Shane, who trumps Tom’s attempts at blackmail, but can’t keep up with his nasty houseguest’s vile temper. DIRTY SECRETS has previously been produced in Phoenix, San Diego and Los Angeles.

Writer/Director Marshall not only uses his trademark quick wit and natural dialogue, but also recognizes the human emotions that bring the characters to the brink of insanity. “This play speaks loudly about the downfalls of cheating in any relationship. It’s something everyone can relate to, regardless of his or her orientation,” says Marshall. “It’s about growing up and learning from your mistakes, and discovering the hard lesson that the easy choice is not always the right choice.”

About Alternative Theatre Company:
The Alternative Theatre Company is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. While we are renowned for producing award-winning LGBT plays, we also produce original plays from local playwrights, full-scale musicals and children’s productions. We are a unique, innovative theatre company for Southern Arizona. Founded in 1991 by Joe Marshall, the company relocated from Phoenix to Tucson in 2006.

About Joe Marshall:
A graduate of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, Joe Marshall continued his education at Arizona Technical Institute, obtaining an F.C.C. License in broadcast communication.

Joe has appeared as an actor in more than 40 shows and three films, including the movie “Postcards From America” and a national tour of the play “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Joe has directed and choreographed more than thirty award-winning productions. He also was the Director of Children's Programming at Theatre Works for two years, winning five People's Choice awards.

He is the founder and artistic director for the Alternative Theatre Company, where he also teaches acting classes. He has produced and written seven plays that premiered in Phoenix, Arizona. His play “A Night in Vegas” received two AriZoni awards: Best Original Script and Best Overall Production.

Contact:
For more information about this announcement, photos and interview opportunities, please contact Adrian Maynard at adrian.maynard@cox.net or (520) 883-8246.